


Fun Size

by darkrosaleen



Category: Bon Appétit Test Kitchen (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Not Canon Compliant, Office Party, Size Difference
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 11:12:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22607485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkrosaleen/pseuds/darkrosaleen
Summary: After a grueling day recreating Butterfingers, Claire unwinds at the holiday party.
Relationships: Brad Leone/Claire Saffitz
Comments: 6
Kudos: 47
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	Fun Size

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shinykari (meinterrupted)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/meinterrupted/gifts).

> This was written before the release of the Butterfingers episode, when the idea of a Gourmet Makes candy episode not being a five day mental breakdown was preposterous.
> 
> In true BA fashion, this Valentine's Day fic takes place several months earlier during a different holiday.

The spread from the opening of the Butterfinger episode made it to the holiday party. Claire's spreads were usually picked through in an hour, and with the entire office gathered and plied with cocktails, and she was surprised there were any left when she finally made it upstairs.

Andy was already there, holding a michelada in one hand and a half-eaten candy bar in the other. "I thought you wouldn't even want to look at a Butterfinger after today," he said, grinning at Claire as she unwrapped a fun size bar and popped the whole thing in her mouth.

"Don't even start," she mumbled. "I'm enjoying them now before PTSD sets in." She knew she would spend the weekend having stress nightmares about peanut brittle.

Claire glanced down at the table to find that she'd absently arranged the bars next to each other to compare sizes. So much for a relaxing party after hours on a Friday.

Andy giggled from over her shoulder. He swapped two of the bars so that king size and fun size were next to each other. "Look, it's you and Brad."

"Come on, Brad's not _that_ much taller than me."

"What am I not?" Brad bellowed from the other end of the room. He broke into a huge grin when he spotted Claire, walking over and clapping a heavy hand on her shoulder. "Look at you, dressed all fancy. You're making me look bad."

Claire blushed. Brad looked great, dressed in a work-holiday-party-appropriate Henley that hugged his broad shoulders. She wondered how many Claires she could stack widthwise to make one Brad.

"I'm not that dressed up." Claire was wearing a sparkly white sweater and a blue velvet skirt, both thrift store finds. "I have another party after this one, but I don't know if I'll make it. This crew parties hard."

Brad laughed. "That's the spirit, Claire." His hand was still on her shoulder, burning her up even through the thick fuzz of her sweater. He could almost span her shoulders with one hand; maybe king size was more accurate than she'd realized.

Of course, Brad picked that moment to open his dumb mouth. "So, how's Butterfingers?"

Claire's whole body deflated. Whatever expression crossed her face made Brad giggle and make a sympathetic cooing noise, like she was a three-legged puppy that just fell over. "Andy, go get the poor lady a drink. What'll you have, Claire?" 

She felt a smile threatening to break out. "I'll have a Manhattan, thanks Andy."

Andy gave her a salute and made his way to the bar. Without taking his hand off Claire's shoulder, Brad moved in front of her so that she was boxed in against the wall. He was definitely 1.5 Claires wide, if not more. Claire was right at eye level with the chest hair peeking over his top button.

Brad's grin softened into something earnest. "Look, I know this is a cheesy dad move and you hate that shit, but is everything okay with Butterfingers? You know I'm here for you, Claire, all you have to do is say the word. You want a custom steam-powered peanut crushing machine, I'll build you one. I don't like it when you look hopeless."

Standing in a dim corner of the holiday party, boxed in by Brad's massive chest and watching him look down at her with sweet blue-eyed concern, Claire felt dizzy and overheated. Maybe the sweater was a bad idea. "That's really sweet," she said, struggling to keep her expression neutral and casual. "It'll be fine. I always pull through."

Brad smiled. "If you say so, half-sour." He still hadn't taken his hand off her shoulder. "You really do look beautiful, Claire. Like a sparkly Hanukah elf."

Claire snorted. "Hanukah doesn't have elves." It must've been some kind of Brad superpower, making her blush despite the utter nonsense coming out of his mouth.

Brad's gaze dropped to Claire's cheeks, where she was undoubtedly bright red from his closeness and bigness and the fact that he'd _called her beautiful_. "Fine, not an elf. You're a snow princess. Who's the chick from that snow movie? You know the one, the 'let it go' one."

Before Brad could burst into song, Andy reappeared with Claire's Manhattan. Brad sprung away from her like she was radioactive, leaving a cold spot on her shoulder. "Hey, Andy, who's the snow chick from Let It Go?"

"Elsa?" Andy said, confused. Claire took her Manhattan from his hand and gulped down a third of the glass in one go. 

"Come with me," she said, grabbing Brad by the wrist (huge, her fingers barely met around it) and tugging him toward the door. She knew all the empty offices on this floor, and she was looking forward to seeing Brad squeeze his giant self into a private one. "Andy doesn't want to hear your Disney renditions."


End file.
